A summary of the revised measures for the skate wing and skate bait fisheries is provided below in Tables 1 and 2.
TABLE 1 – TOTAL ALLOWABLE LANDINGS FOR FISHING YEARS 2018-2019
|
Total Allowable Landings (TAL) |
mt |
|
|
Skate Wing Fishery |
Season 1 (May 1 – August 31) |
5,984 |
|
Season 2 (September 1 – April 30) |
4,515 |
|
|
Skate Bait Fishery |
Season 1 (May 1 – July 31) |
1,629 |
|
Season 2 (August 1 – October 31) |
1,962 |
|
|
Season 3 (November 1 – April 30) |
1,698 |
|
Unused wing TAL from Season 1 has been rolled-over to Season 2, and the unused bait TAL from Seasons 1 and 2 has been rolled-over to Season 3. As a result, for 2018, the Season 2 wing TAL is increased to 6,009 mt and the Season 3 bait TAL is increased to 2,760 mt.
TABLE 2 – POSSESSION AND LANDING LIMITS FOR FISHING YEARS 2018-2019
|
Skate possession limits* |
Trip Limits (lb) |
||||
|
Skate Wings |
Whole Skates |
Barndoor** Skate Wings |
Whole Barndoor** Skates |
||
|
NE Multispecies, Scallop, or Monkfish Day-At-Sea (DAS) |
Season 1 (May 1 – August 31) |
2,600
|
5,902
|
650
|
1,476
|
|
Season 2 (September 1 – April 30) |
4,100
|
9,307
|
1,025
|
2,327
|
|
|
NE Multispecies B DAS |
May 1 – April 30 |
220
|
500
|
0 |
0 |
|
Non-DAS |
May 1 – April 30 |
500
|
1,135 |
0 |
0 |
|
Whole skate with bait Letter of Authorization |
May 1 – October 31 |
0 |
25,000 |
0 |
0 |
|
November 1 – April 30 |
0 |
12,000
|
0 |
0 |
|
*Possession and landing limits may be modified in-season in order to prevent catch from exceeding quotas.
**Barndoor skate trip limits are within the overall skate possession limit for each trip, not in addition to it.
We are closely monitoring the Season 2 wing fishery landings relative to the revised seasonal TAL. We will consider implementing the 500-lb incidental trip limit when 85 percent of the 2018 TAL (8,924 mt) is projected to be reached. We will notify wing fishery participants of this change if necessary.
